Archived from groups: microsoft.public.win98.gen_discussion (More info?)
My sister recently purchased a used Compaq Presario laptop from her daughter
who originally purchased it as new in July 2000, and I have been giving it a
major tune-up. The laptop came with 64mb of RAM (non removable) plus 32mb
(removable) for a total of 96mb. A fresh return of the laptop to its
“factory� state, all updates from the Windows Update website, and right after
the completion of the boot-up process, the properties of My Computer shows
the following information concerning available free system resources:
Total Memory: 92mb (plus 4mb onboard video). System Resources: 83% free.
There are no programs running in the background except for the operating
system, Synaptics TouchPad, and Easy Access Button Support.
I purchased a 128mb replacement RAM module, switched out the 32mb that came
with the computer, and performed a fresh boot with the total 192mb (max
allowed with this motherboard). My Computer properties shows: Total Memory:
188mb (plus 4mb video). System Resources: 83% free. Free system resources
shows the same figure (83%) as when there was only the 32mb RAM module
installed.
I removed the 128mb RAM module leaving just the 64mb (non removable). A
fresh boot with just the 64mb non-removable RAM shows the information in the
properties of My Computer to be: Total Memory 60mb (plus 4mb video). System
Resources: 83% free.
Free system resources from a fresh boot are exactly the same (83%) if I have
64mb, 96mb, or 192mb of RAM installed. The BIOS detects, tests, and passes
the correct amount of memory in all 3 cases, Windows 98 detects the correct
amount of memory in all 3 cases, and diagnostic program SiSoft Sandra detects
the correct amount and type of memory in all 3 cases. Additionally, there are
no problems in the Device Manager. No changes were made to the system except
for adding memory modules, leaving this the only variable involved.
I have never encountered this type of issue before. Windows is only allowing
the user the 64mb of non-removable RAM and none of the removable RAM,
including the 32mb module that came with the computer. I tried reducing the
video memory allocation from 4mb to 2mb, but this did not change anything and
free system resources remained at 83%. I could only open 4 programs with
64mb, 96mb, and 192mb of RAM before I received the “low on system resources�
message telling me to close some programs.
An email from the HP support technician was basically no help to me. In
broken English, they mentioned that processor speed and virtual memory were
additional variables concerning free system resources. I do not believe that
processor speed is a variable. What does that have to do with available free
physical memory? As far as virtual memory is concerned, isn’t this the swap
file and a function of available hard disk space and not with physical
memory? Even if processor speed and virtual memory were variables, none of
the hard disk space or the processor speed change by adding more physical
memory, leaving these variables out of the picture in my opinion. They
advised using “msconfig� to stop unneeded programs and to try step-by-step
confirmation. I had already used “msconfig�. There are no programs installed
to stop except for the Synaptics TouchPad and Easy Access Button Support
which is needed. Windows 98 and all updates are all that is installed. Again,
these are not variables either because they were not changed. The only change
made to the system is the added memory modules. All other factors remaining
the same, shouldn’t free physical memory for the user be increased?? I did
try using the step-by-step-confirmation at startup and totally crashed the
system in the process. Compaq has a system restore feature powered by
PowerQuest on another partition of the hard drive and is addressed on
startup. I’m glad I had made an image file of the configuration and had to
restore the system.
It seems obvious to me that Windows 98 is caching 100% of the added memory
for itself leaving none available for user programs. What do I need to do in
order for Windows 98 to allow the user a percentage of the added memory which
the BIOS detects, tests, passes, and Windows 98 recognizes??? Advice on this
issue would be greatly appreciated because I have never come across this type
of issue before. Free system resources have always increased for me by adding
more memory…
My sister recently purchased a used Compaq Presario laptop from her daughter
who originally purchased it as new in July 2000, and I have been giving it a
major tune-up. The laptop came with 64mb of RAM (non removable) plus 32mb
(removable) for a total of 96mb. A fresh return of the laptop to its
“factory� state, all updates from the Windows Update website, and right after
the completion of the boot-up process, the properties of My Computer shows
the following information concerning available free system resources:
Total Memory: 92mb (plus 4mb onboard video). System Resources: 83% free.
There are no programs running in the background except for the operating
system, Synaptics TouchPad, and Easy Access Button Support.
I purchased a 128mb replacement RAM module, switched out the 32mb that came
with the computer, and performed a fresh boot with the total 192mb (max
allowed with this motherboard). My Computer properties shows: Total Memory:
188mb (plus 4mb video). System Resources: 83% free. Free system resources
shows the same figure (83%) as when there was only the 32mb RAM module
installed.
I removed the 128mb RAM module leaving just the 64mb (non removable). A
fresh boot with just the 64mb non-removable RAM shows the information in the
properties of My Computer to be: Total Memory 60mb (plus 4mb video). System
Resources: 83% free.
Free system resources from a fresh boot are exactly the same (83%) if I have
64mb, 96mb, or 192mb of RAM installed. The BIOS detects, tests, and passes
the correct amount of memory in all 3 cases, Windows 98 detects the correct
amount of memory in all 3 cases, and diagnostic program SiSoft Sandra detects
the correct amount and type of memory in all 3 cases. Additionally, there are
no problems in the Device Manager. No changes were made to the system except
for adding memory modules, leaving this the only variable involved.
I have never encountered this type of issue before. Windows is only allowing
the user the 64mb of non-removable RAM and none of the removable RAM,
including the 32mb module that came with the computer. I tried reducing the
video memory allocation from 4mb to 2mb, but this did not change anything and
free system resources remained at 83%. I could only open 4 programs with
64mb, 96mb, and 192mb of RAM before I received the “low on system resources�
message telling me to close some programs.
An email from the HP support technician was basically no help to me. In
broken English, they mentioned that processor speed and virtual memory were
additional variables concerning free system resources. I do not believe that
processor speed is a variable. What does that have to do with available free
physical memory? As far as virtual memory is concerned, isn’t this the swap
file and a function of available hard disk space and not with physical
memory? Even if processor speed and virtual memory were variables, none of
the hard disk space or the processor speed change by adding more physical
memory, leaving these variables out of the picture in my opinion. They
advised using “msconfig� to stop unneeded programs and to try step-by-step
confirmation. I had already used “msconfig�. There are no programs installed
to stop except for the Synaptics TouchPad and Easy Access Button Support
which is needed. Windows 98 and all updates are all that is installed. Again,
these are not variables either because they were not changed. The only change
made to the system is the added memory modules. All other factors remaining
the same, shouldn’t free physical memory for the user be increased?? I did
try using the step-by-step-confirmation at startup and totally crashed the
system in the process. Compaq has a system restore feature powered by
PowerQuest on another partition of the hard drive and is addressed on
startup. I’m glad I had made an image file of the configuration and had to
restore the system.
It seems obvious to me that Windows 98 is caching 100% of the added memory
for itself leaving none available for user programs. What do I need to do in
order for Windows 98 to allow the user a percentage of the added memory which
the BIOS detects, tests, passes, and Windows 98 recognizes??? Advice on this
issue would be greatly appreciated because I have never come across this type
of issue before. Free system resources have always increased for me by adding
more memory…
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